Buckle



c. s. MACDONALD.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14.1920.

Pa tentedJ uly 20, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CREIGH-TON S. MACDONALD, OF ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

BUCKLE.

To all whom it may cone ,rn:

Be it known that l; CRn-IoriroN S. MAO- DONALD, a citizen of'thellnited States, re siding at Attle'boro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to buckles particularly adapted to use with apparelbelts, but it also is suitable for employment in adjustably connecting end portions of other straps and the like.

The buckle provided by the invention is of that class that is characterized by a pivoted part or lever that has clamping action against a strap or the like to hold it against tension at any place to which it is adjusted, without employment of a penetrating prong engaging spaced holes in the part held.

It is an object of the invention generally to improve a buckle of that kind, and especially to embody in it a non-soldered clamping member that is self adjusting to belts, straps, or bands of various thickness.

hen read in connection with the description herein, the characteristics of the invention will. be apparent from the accompanying drawing, forming part hereof, wherein an embodiment of the invention is shown, for purposes of illustration.

lVhile the disclosures herein exemplify what now is considered to be a preferable embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that it is not the intention to be limited necessarily thereto in interpretation of the claims, as modifications within the limits of the claims can be made without departing from the nature of the invention.

Like reference-characters refer to corresponding parts in the views of the drawing,

of which Figure 1 is a view of the rear side of the buckle;

Fig. 2 is a top view;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view;

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the clamping member open; and

Fig. 5 is a view of the clamping member.

Having more particular reference to the drawing, 6 designates a front plate or body portion of the buckle. oppositely-disposed sides or flanges 7 extend at approximately right angles rearwardly from the front plate. Near one end of the buckle, a trans- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1920.

Application filed February 14, 1920. Serial No. 358,577.

verse bar or the like 8 is fixed in the free marginal portions of the flanges. The plate and its flanges and the bar afford a guideway for the belt-strap or similar part to be adjustably held. Preferably the plate and its flanges are formed integrally of a piece of sheet metal.

A clamping member, including a flat sheet-metal plate or body 9, is mounted pivotally in an end portion of the buckle by pintles 10, which extend in the line of one transversemargin into alined holes or seats in the flanges 7 near their free margins or in lugs .11 thereof.

A transverse opening 12 in the body 9 extends nearly to the opposite transverse margin thereof, leaving a transverse bar or part 13, the formation being such that an end portion of a belt, strap, or the like may be passed through the opening and around the bar or part 13 and fastened together, whereby it is secured to the buckle.

For the purpose of adjustably holding between the clamping member and the front plate of the buckle the-opposite end portion of the belt, strap, or the like secured to the clamping member, or the end portion of another like part, the clamping member has a transverse rib or flange 14 at its pivoted marginal portion and extending above or outwardly from the plane of the body 9. The rib has a rounded free edge 15 arranged to press against the part adjustably held in the buckle when the clamping member is swung toward the buckle-body 6. The rib preferably is a piece of sheet metal bent to afford a substantially cylindrical or loop portion 16, with its bent-over margin 17 lying in the plane of web portion 18. The margin 17 and the web 18 lie snugly against the body 9, and the rib is fastened securely to the body by rivets 19 disposed through the web and body.

hen a portion of a belt, strap, or the like is to be adjusted inthe buckle, the clamping member is swung to bring it to position such as shown by Fig. 1, when the rib has no clamping action, and then the part to be held, or to be removed from the buckle, is moved in the guideway. When that part has reached the desired position. the clamping member again is swung to clamping position, either by manual operation or by tension of the belt or other art that is secured to the bar 11. The body or plate 6 constit'utes a relatively fixed part that coacts with the clamping member in holding a strap or the like therebetween. The rounded contour of the engaging edge of the rib 0bviates injury to the adjustably-held part.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is' I '1. A buckle comprising a relatively-fixed part, a member pivotally mounted therein formed of a substantially flat sheet-metal body, and a rib member of sheet metal including a web lying against and secured to said pivotally-mounted member and a trans verse clampin -rib formed by bending a marginal portion of the materialinto a loop raised above the plane of the Web 2. A clamping member arranged to be -.m0unted pivota1ly in a buckle and comprising a substantially flat sheet-metal body and a ribmember of sheet metal including a Web lyingiagalnst and secured to said body and 

